Straitstimes.com header logo

Choose edition

Search

singapore

asia

world

opinion

life

business

sport

Visual

Podcasts

SPH Rewards

STClassifieds

Paid press releases

Advertise with us

FAQs

Contact us

 

Population/Demographics

Half of 20 major Japanese cities face shrinking population

An estimate for 2050 shows that the number of those cities that will see a population decline will expand to 18, despite their earlier success in having attracted young people from nearby areas.
An estimate for 2050 shows that the number of those cities that will see a population decline will expand to 18, despite their earlier success in having attracted young people from nearby areas.

‘Start talking about death earlier’: China to improve palliative care with some help from Singapore

Ms Zhou Jiayi sought palliative care help after her father was diagnosed with cancer in October 2024.
Ms Zhou Jiayi sought palliative care help after her father was diagnosed with cancer in October 2024.

Afghanistan launches $100 million food security programme as crisis deepens

An Afghan girl looks at the doctor as he measures her upper arm at the WFP-supported Qasaba Clinic, after an increase in malnutrition cases following the return of deported Afghans, in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 7, 2026. REUTERS/Sayed Hassib     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
An Afghan girl looks at the doctor as he measures her upper arm at the WFP-supported Qasaba Clinic, after an increase in malnutrition cases following the return of deported Afghans, in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 7, 2026. REUTERS/Sayed Hassib     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

One in three parental leave users in South Korea is now a dad

A total of 184,519 parents in South Korea took parental leave in 2025, and men accounted for 67,196 of them.
A total of 184,519 parents in South Korea took parental leave in 2025, and men accounted for 67,196 of them.

US population growth slows sharply due to less immigration

US President Donald Trump has scaled up efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and limit legal immigration.
US President Donald Trump has scaled up efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and limit legal immigration.

S’pore must do more integration as immigration crucial for economy amid low birth rate: Jeffrey Siow

Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the need for immigration comes amid concerning demographic realities such as Singapore’s “abysmal” total fertility rate.
Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the need for immigration comes amid concerning demographic realities such as Singapore’s “abysmal” total fertility rate.

What birth rate crisis? Here’s how one city in Taiwan is bucking the island’s worrying trend

A playground at Kuan Hsin borough in Hsinchu. The city has the highest proportion of children to the total number of residents in Taiwan.
A playground at Kuan Hsin borough in Hsinchu. The city has the highest proportion of children to the total number of residents in Taiwan.

The Kurdish struggle for rights and land

FILE PHOTO: Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa delivers a speech on the first anniversary of Bashar al-Assad's fall, in Damascus, Syria December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa delivers a speech on the first anniversary of Bashar al-Assad's fall, in Damascus, Syria December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo

Hopeful yet wary, Venezuelans across Latin America mull going home

A drone view shows a boat bound for Colombia carrying Venezuelan migrants as it sails near the coast of Colon while they return to Venezuela following deportation, failed attempts to enter the United States amid renewed hopes of returning home following the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro and prospects for democratic elections and economic recovery, in Miramar, Panama, January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun
A drone view shows a boat bound for Colombia carrying Venezuelan migrants as it sails near the coast of Colon while they return to Venezuela following deportation, failed attempts to enter the United States amid renewed hopes of returning home following the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro and prospects for democratic elections and economic recovery, in Miramar, Panama, January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun

What China’s falling population means for its future

China's fertility rate fell to 1.3 in 2020, far below the 2.1 needed to keep the population stable, excluding migration.
China's fertility rate fell to 1.3 in 2020, far below the 2.1 needed to keep the population stable, excluding migration.

E-paper

Newsletters

Podcasts

RSS Feed

About Us

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Need help? Reach us here.

Advertise with us

Download the app

Get unlimited access to exclusive stories and incisive insights from the ST newsroom
Subscribe Placeholder
MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.